Presented at the CALA Southeast and Southwest Chapter Joint Online Conference on May, 7, 2021.

This presentation is going to introduce an innovative reference service model – Tele-Reference, which was developed and implemented by the University of Central Florida (UCF) Libraries throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Continuity of service throughout the public health crisis has been critical to aid library users in their research and scholarly endeavors. By employing the Tele-Reference model, UCF Libraries has been able to provide a safe alternative to in-person reference desk service while adhering to health and safety requirements set forth by the University and the state of Florida. This session will outline how Tele-Reference was developed, how it currently operates, what challenges and opportunities are faced throughout implementation, and considerations for future evolutions of this creative service model. Attendees will gain insights on how to leverage virtual reference services to meet the needs of their community and take away practical ideas for implementing a similar program at their institution. Attendees will also gain insight into how to respond to library staff’s apprehension towards implementing new service models and how to overcome the challenges.